Big yellow dog

I really like the work of Jim Cooper.  I made this dog last term.  It was a logistical nightmare to make... due to having to be in pieces and wait for the leather hard stage to join the bits.... and then the electrician moved him and a leg snapped off.  Then I had to move him to the kiln at my ceramics class.  I would so much love a kiln at home... and am frustrated by this at the moment.  We are looking at getting one once we move.. maybe.  Currently my work has to be fired with all the other students in my pottery class.  They are doing mostly glaze work.  The kiln has to go to the temperature that suits that suits everyone in the glazing.  The result of this is that often my underglaze colours burn out and are less intense.  My tutor and I have discussed this.  I could do a kiln load of my own work that fires to the temperature that suits what I am using.  The downside will be waiting a long time for my work to come back..which slows down the discovery and learning from my mistakes.  As by the time the work gets back I wold have made a whole heap more stuff.  Also the other problem is transporting fragile' bone dry' work to the kiln. I learnt alot from doing this dog.  In the coming term I will attempt him again...hopefully with more success!  I did experiment with oven heat set ceramic paint on him AFTER glazing which heat sets in the oven...the darker yellow on him is that stuff.  I have some  old plates which I have also been experimenting on with the same paint.